1. In 1809, Illinois became the 21st state of the United States, officially named the State of Illinois. This marked a significant milestone in the state's history, as it was first inhabited by Native American tribes before being claimed by the French and later becoming a territory of the United States.

2. On February 6, 1893, the General Assembly of the State of Illinois approved the Act to Establish the Western Illinois State Normal School, which would later become Western Illinois University. The school was founded as a teacher's college and has since grown into a comprehensive university.

3. In 1919, the Illinois General Assembly ratified the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted women the right to vote. Illinois was the first state east of the Mississippi River to ratify the amendment.

4. On February 6, 1968, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 385 to 55 to approve the Civil Rights Act of 1968, also known as the Fair Housing Act. The law prohibited discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, or sex.

5. On February 6, 1983, the Chicago-based professional basketball team, the Chicago Bulls, retired the jersey of former player Bob Love. Love played for the team from 1968-1977 and scored more than 12,000 points in his career. His jersey number, 10, was retired and hung in the rafters of Chicago Stadium.